Podiatrist and Memorial sued over ankle surgery

A St. Clair County woman is suing a Belleville hospital and her former doctor for allegedly fusing the bones in her foot without permission.

Ciara Rednour filed a lawsuit Feb. 8 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Protestant Memorial Medical Center Inc., doing business as Memorial Hospital, and the estate of Dr. James Olroyd.

According to the complaint, Rednour was a podiatric patient of Dr. Olroyd beginning in July 2011 when she complained of persistent pain in her left foot between her ankle and Achilles tendon. After a series of treatments failed to relieve the discomfort, Rednour claims Dr. Olroyd recommended surgery to look for loose tendons or impacted nerves that might be causing the pain.

When Dr. Olroyd performed the surgery in March 2012, Rednour says, he did not complete the procedure he had previously described to her. Instead, the surgeon allegedly fused her ankle bones together during the surgery. Rednour claims the fusion, which was done without her consent, left her with continued pain and permanent injury to her left foot.

Rednour accuses Memorial Hospital and Dr. Olroyd, who has since died, of medical malpractice and seeks a judgement of more than $100,000 in damages for medical expenses, lost wages and court costs. She is represented by attorney David Wm. Horan of St. Louis. They ask for a jury trial.
St. Clair County Circuit Court Case No. 13-L-71